Some larger solar collector installations include an array of sun-tracking, solar power collector assemblies. Such assemblies can be used in conjunction with photovoltaic modules, concentrated photovoltaic modules, as well as concentrated thermal solar collector devices.
Sun-tracking collector systems typically include hardware for automatically adjusting the position of the collector devices to track the sun as it moves across the sky. This tracking movement can be accomplished in a number of different ways. Some systems use a single axis tracking system in which the collector devices pivot about a single axis. Such single axis type tracking systems often include a drive shaft or “torque tube” which defines a single pivot axis. Additionally, some systems drive a plurality of torque tubes with one drive motor.
Concentrated photovoltaic solar systems can provide significant cost savings over non-concentrated photovoltaic systems. This is because concentrated photovoltaic systems only use a fraction of the amount of photovoltaic material to collect about the same amount of sunlight. However, sun-tracking accuracy becomes more important with concentrated systems. For example, it is known that efficiency of a solar collector can drop if the mirrors of a concentrated system are misaligned by as little as 0.1°. Thus, high performance of such systems is more likely to be achieved if the components of the concentrated systems are manufactured to precise tolerances. Additionally, such concentrated photovoltaic systems are more affordable, if the hardware and/or labor required to construct such a system is reduced.